SCI floats $720 million tender for six container ships

State-run Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has floated its largest-ever global tender for container ships, with the proposed deal estimated at around USD 720 million (Rs 6,858 crore), as the company accelerates fleet renewal and supports India’s domestic shipbuilding ambitions.

The tender covers the construction of six cellular container ships, each with a capacity of 8,000 TEUs. Two vessels are confirmed, while construction of the remaining four is optional.

Cellular container ships are specifically designed to carry standard 20-foot and 40-foot containers using vertical guide rails and slots, enabling containers to be securely stacked and efficiently handled.

Under the tender conditions, Indian shipyards without prior experience in building cellular container vessels can form technical partnerships with reputed foreign shipbuilders. The foreign partner must have delivered at least two cellular ships of 5,000 TEUs or more during the past 10 years, with those vessels still in service.

The foreign shipyard must also provide basic and detailed design assistance throughout the project and demonstrate experience in delivering or designing dual-fuel vessels already in service.

SCI has stipulated that the ships must be built at the bidder’s own shipyard, with sub-contracting prohibited either partially or entirely. Bidders must also quote a fixed price on a 100% cash-payment basis.

The latest tender follows SCI’s broader shipbuilding programme, including a $360 million tender for six methanol dual-fuel-ready container ships and bids estimated at $300–340 million for four methanol dual-fuel-ready Aframax tankers. The Aframax programme would represent India’s first attempt to build vessels of this class domestically.

Cochin Shipyard, which is already building LNG-fuelled vessels for CMA CGM, is expected to be among the stronger contenders for the orders.

The tender is part of India’s wider effort to modernise its merchant fleet, expand domestic shipbuilding capacity and reduce reliance on foreign shipyards. It also supports the country’s ambition to become one of the world’s top five maritime nations by 2047.